Mount Shasta

After yesterday's crisscross ride through wine country, we opted to stay on interstate 5... sometimes riding on the interstate is not all bad.

In the last week or two we noticed a different smell as we rode through the desert, it was familiar like thanksgiving dinner, but it took a while to figure it out it was sage growing wild along the road. The first thing today we noticed the smell of eucalyptus from trees planted in neat rows in the valley between the coastal mountains to the west and the Cascades to the east.  California is huge, we entered about midway up on Saturday, and finally made it  out today.

Soon the snowy peak of Mt Shasta began to show itself and then disappear as we snaked our way into the Cascades. The view became more impressive over the span of an hour as we got closer, and we watched it in the rear view mirror for just as long, well after we passed into Oregon.

This portion of interstate 5 is nothing like most as it is a series of steep climbs with signs warning of slow moving trucks, and then sharp declines with the familiar signs for 6% grades and runaway truck ramps.  As always, the road is well traveled by truckers, (including lots of logging trucks and semis with triple trailers), and we spent the day passing them on the climb positioning ourselves well ahead before they began their way back down. We were passed easily on one climb by a rider with feet perched squarely on his handlebars... If he noticed us as he passed, our style must have seemed quite boring to him.

Back to peanut butter at a rest area for lunch today. A guy sitting near our parking spot held a sign asking for gas or food money. I walked by him several times and he never approached me or anyone else. Before leaving I offered, and he accepted a sandwich. When asked, he told me he was out of work and trying to get to Portland where he hoped to get his CDL and become a long haul trucker. If he makes it hopefully he will lookout for motorcycles.

I think we have seen the last of triple digit temperatures for a while.  Today we began the day in leather and actually were able to keep it on all day with the ride through the green mountains of Oregon until we made it to our final destination of Eugene.